With new CEO, NYSTEC seeks to help clients with technology

The New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC) is based at 99 Otis St. in Rome.

ROME, N.Y. — The New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC) helped with the operation of the 3rd annual International Quantum Information Science Workshop held June 22-24 at the Innovare Advancement Center in Rome. It’s an example of how NYSTEC works in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, known locally as Rome […]

Already an Subcriber? Log in

Get Instant Access to This Article

Become a Central New York Business Journal subscriber and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.

ROME, N.Y. — The New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC) helped with the operation of the 3rd annual International Quantum Information Science Workshop held June 22-24 at the Innovare Advancement Center in Rome.

It’s an example of how NYSTEC works in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, known locally as Rome Lab.

NYSTEC also operates the startup accelerator IgniteU NY, which started in June. The entrepreneurs involved are working toward an event in early August to complete the program.

“We continued relationships with many of them over the years to see where they go,” says Kevin Owens, president and CEO of NYSTEC. “They’re always welcome to come back and tap us if they need assistance or if we can help them make a connection or something like that.” 

NYSTEC on May 26 announced that its board of directors had selected Owens as the company’s new CEO. He began serving as the company’s president on Jan. 3 of this year and then became CEO, effective April 1. Owens succeeded Mike Walsh, who retired after seven years as president and CEO. 

“We do a lot of work in the health-care space, so we’ve been able to be involved in some COVID-19-related projects … [we’re] very fortunate that our clients felt that we could deliver and provide them services during those times. We were involved in contact tracing,” Owens tells CNYBJ in a June 25 phone interview.

During the second half of 2021, NYSTEC hopes to reconnect with clients that had to pause or delay projects because of the pandemic.

“They were redirected and reprioritized a lot of their activities,” says Owens.

The organization works with clients in sectors that include education; economic development; energy, infrastructure & environment; government operations & finance; health & human services; and public safety, per its website. 

NYSTEC is an independent, nonprofit technology-consulting company headquartered in Rome with offices in Albany and New York City. It operates at 99 Otis St. in Rome.

Incorporated in 1996 to facilitate the transfer of technology, innovation, and expertise between the public and private sectors in support of economic development, NYSTEC functions as an advisor to government agencies, institutions, and businesses. It helps with strategic planning, technology acquisitions and implementations, and data optimization across industries. 

About Owens

Owens says he was “incredibly excited and honored” to have been selected to lead NYSTEC.

“I had been with NYSTEC for a little over 10 years at the time,” says Owens. “Over that time, I had really obviously had come to love the company and the work that we do and the people that I work with. I was very happy to make that transition through the leadership ranks.”

Owens has more than 20 years’ experience in program development and business strategy, and he is “highly regarded as an expert” in transformational initiatives, NYSTEC contends. 

He joined NYSTEC in 2010 as a health information-technology (IT) consultant and rapidly advanced — first as a systems transformation leader, then as one of NYSTEC’s executive directors. 

As CEO, he will focus on further developing the company’s internal capacity and services while continuing to foster NYSTEC’s client relationships across government at the local, state, and federal levels.

“Throughout his career at NYSTEC, [Owens] has been instrumental in the development and expansion of NYSTEC’s various initiatives,” Bill Pirillo, chair of the NYSTEC board, said. “He is a visionary leader who embraces NYSTEC’s core values of people, teamwork, excellence, integrity, community, and innovation. And he successfully balances multiple priorities while delivering exceptional value.”  

Eric Reinhardt: